


The Passion of Two Dancers

by Xathia



Category: Vampire: The Masquerade
Genre: Ballet, F/M, Romance, dance, vampire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-14 23:16:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 14,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18486448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xathia/pseuds/Xathia
Summary: A Princess has a fight on her hands to win for her right to do what she wants with her life. Her heart is captured by another dancer, but her father and brothers have other intentions for her.





	1. Chapter 1

A dark and sullen teenager had been reluctantly dragged along to a meeting, a no-longer-used theatre in the middle of the night as the other attendants were reluctant to acknowledge the other occupants as the seats towards the front were filled. She grunted towards her master as he silenced her with a glare. There was a general feeling of unrest and a lot of questions to be answered before the stage was lit up suddenly. A tall and well-built male immediately stepped out, in a well-tailored suit minus the tie. He reminded the teenager of a classical Greek statue as he was followed by a woman and two other males, all dressed in the same smart manner, though their leader definitely demanded all the attention.

“Our prince,” her master reminded the teenager as the formidable male paced the stage calmly. His chestnut hair was immaculate, not a grey flicker amongst the thick mane without a hair out of place as the light illuminated everything on the stage as his eyes scooped about with a heavy judgement carried for all the Kindred before him. 

“I have forced this gathering, due to the unfortunate news of brewing unrest in neighbouring towns,” he began, commanding the attention of the room as many of the vampires began to feel the weight of his gaze as some shifted about in their seats. “I have called for any who wish to ally themselves in my city, to announce their arrival in ten days time here at this theatre. You are all required to be here, or face becoming part of the hunt to drive out the problems that threaten the safety of us all.”

“He’s using it as a way of getting rid of his opponents,” the teenager hissed venomously at her master and attracting the heavy gaze of the only woman on stage.

“Now why is she here?” Her master murmured, the dark oceanic blue eyes of the female near to the prince met with her master, and the pair shared a silent agreement to meet after the prince had finished. 

“M’lady,” her master was swift to approach the chestnut-haired woman as soon as the prince had swooped off the stage. “It is unusual to see you out, even in your brother’s company,” the man was kissing the back of her hand in an old worldly gesture, something beyond the teenager’s understanding as the heavy gaze of the woman turned to focus on her. “I do not believe you have met my Childe,” he smiled. “Chelsea, do not be rude,” he scolded, and practically dragged the teenager into the woman. “Princess Adelaide, please meet Chelsea Sourze,” he murmured, bending low and pressed hard into the teenager’s back to force a mimic of his posture.

“The Prince mentioned you had sought his approval, I did not realise it had been granted, but then again, it is rare I am allowed to grace our world with my presence,” Adelaide had a warm smile, though when the teenager exchanged a glance, it did not seem to reach her eyes. “I hope you have been keeping well at least, Everett, you look as though raising a Childe suits you,” she praised. “You must find some time to come to our home some time, I would always appreciate some company.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Adelaide!” a sharp voice of disapproval burst through the air a few nights after the meeting with all the Kindred. “What did I tell you about talking to Kindred without my clearance?” The Prince was feeling the pressure of the recent rampage of new vampires arriving on ‘his’ turf and had taken to raging against his heavily protected sister when the Primogen were absent in an attempt to cover more ground in the sudden immigration. 

“I talked to Everett. You approved him to have a Childe, I presumed there would be little problem seeing as everyone who has approached me in any other manner has been scared off by your jealousy,” she hotly returned, her blue eyes lighting up in fury as the siblings stared each other down whilst standing in the hallway of the large stately home. 

“You are an obvious pawn! If someone gets close to you, they will be whispering in your ear to get my attention,” Augustus fumed, his anger apparent as his hands were balled into fists. “New Kindred will be flooding into this place in a few weeks as a formal introduction to how things are run, and there will be many gasping for a glimpse of power to twist my arm and test my strength as Prince,” he snarled, backing his younger sister back into a corner. “I need everything to hold in my path, you are my weak point, if you cannot support me, then I may as well leave this city to the Sabbat.” A much gentler tone had taken over from his anger as his worry burst the dam walls at the sight of his trembling sibling.

“You hole me up as the Princess in the tower,” Adelaide whispered. “Many Kindred know I am the weak spot to you. They presume because we are lovers, not siblings, especially with the title of Princess you bestowed upon on me,” she continued, struggling to keep eye contact in the close confines. 

“No one knows you are my sibling for a purpose,” Augustus relented, stepping backwards to allow for an eternity of space between them. “Only those I trust know the truth, and I would be a most negligent big brother and prince if I allowed anyone who took your fancy to get too close.”

“Anyone who takes my fancy has always disappeared in a matter of days,” the brunette female replied, her expression telling her brother that she knew precisely of his overprotective ways before departing for her music room that was located in the middle of the ground floor. 

“A Toreador’s passion never ceases to amaze me,” a new voice chuckled from the open doorway, leaning casually against the heavy wood. “It has been a while Augustus, and Adelaide has not changed an ounce,” the male smiled, offering an open hand to his old friend. 

“Indeed Leo,” the Prince tightly replied. The Kindred had been sent away to deal with the waves of Sabbat crashing through the outskirts of his town and was back a lot sooner than had been intended as the chestnut-haired male studied his fellow Kindred extensively. 

“The Sabbat are retreating from your city edges, the new influx is providing a stronger barrier,” he reported. “And your sister is still not allowed a lover since everyone thinks she and you are together. Clever rouge my friend, but that will not stop Adelaide from finding what her heart desires,” Leo stated, fluffing up the ends of his dark hair with his hands. Though when he spotted her smile from the piano as the pair walked the corridor towards her, it felt as though no time at all had passed since his work had carried him far away.


	3. Chapter 3

“Focus!” A sharp Russian voice cracked out as violent as any pistol as Adelaide fell yet again in her attempts to perfect her skills. “You will become nothing if you do not focus! You are as useless as any beggar on the street if you cannot hold pointe for more than five seconds,” the old woman snarled and dragged the young girl back onto her feet. “Again!” She snapped, throwing her arm out at Augustus who was sat at the piano. His sister was struggling, but it was the fire in her eyes that kept her going as the boy withered under the smouldering glare of the Russian. Every move had to be perfect, nothing less was acceptable as their father slowly appeared in the doorway to watch what he was sinking his money into. Adelaide had not long developed the strength to go en pointe, her legs were still shaking as she carried her entire weight through the soft shoes, but she kept to the music as the male managed to pass the notes through to the end. “Much better, you have the potential, but you cannot let yourself go slack,” it was the closest to a ‘well done’ that Adelaide could expect, and to watch his sister curtsey in such submissiveness was a heartache to the impassioned teenager at the piano. 

“She is much better than when we first came to you,” their father’s voice was rich and dark, and attracted women from far and wide as he sauntered into the ballroom that had been commandeered for his daughter’s dance. “She will be accepted into the London Ballet when she applies next year, or you will not be paid.” 

“I know the deal. You set the boundaries with me already. Your daughter will get in once they know who sculpted her into the finest dancer this country has to offer, I came from Moscow for you,” the woman proudly retorted, her accent strong as her nose creased at the dominating male. “Adelaide, again!”

To hear the recorded music brought the Prince out in goosebumps. He had played it in the depths of winter with numb arms for their Russian nurse whilst his younger sibling had perfected herself into the perfect ballerina. To hear it even after over a hundred and sixty years later was far too soon for the male, even after he dared to peep in on the dance room. Her practice attire had changed considerably with new inventions, she was wearing the pastel pink ballet tights, a black leotard, and much harder shoes that made pointe easier to endure for the dancer as Adelaide seemed to defy purposes and split her legs into a perfect 180-degree angle as the music finished. 

A long low whistle blew down his ear, causing Augustus to burst into the room with a yelp, and Leo stood helplessly laughing with Adelaide suddenly armed with a sharp blade from nowhere. The dark haired male grinned cheekily at the siblings as the edge swiftly disappeared again, and the woman shook her head at them both. “You told me to leave you alone, that wasn’t really leaving me alone if you only intended to disturb my practice,” Adelaide half-heartedly scolded as she started stretching in front of the mirror, and distracting the visiting male in the process. 

“When is your next headline act?” Augustus was gruff and trying to avoid looking ruffled whilst making a silent and threatening gesture towards Leo.

“A few months yet, I will be gone for a week whilst performing in Amsterdam,” the dancer replied as she started to undo her ribbons. “I assumed you had checked your emails of late since Father told us both that he will be expecting to greet us both as the Prince there.”

“He knows a Prince cannot leave their territory without it being seen as forsaken,” her brother scorned as their friend was leaning against the doorframe. “Seeing as he became Prince so he could turn us,” he scoffed. 

“We had potential,” his sister softly reminded him. “He wanted only the best for us, it is why he never remarried,” she pointed out as she gently wrapped her shoes and put them back in the designated spot in the cupboard. “That’s why we were always worked to the bone as children, he knew there was a lot ahead of us if we put the effort in.”

“You are a renowned ballet dancer,” Augustus corrected. “I am just another Kindred.” 

“You were one of the quickest rises to Prince that we know of in our history, you are an exceptional leader who inspires most of whom he leads,” Leo corrected, swooping gracefully into the conversation. “You are looking for the future of our race whilst keeping everything in the present secure. A tough line to toe, and yet you are one of the few who has Kindred flocking to be under his rule. There are waiting lists for your inner circle,” he smiled. “And if you came clean about Adelaide being your sister instead of fueling the rumours she is your lover, then you would have any vampire at your feet.” 

“That is the only aspect you both criticise me on,” the Prince sighed wearily, avoiding both of them in his gaze. 

“Because she wants to feel love the one way she has never been allowed,” Leo pointed out. “And I would love to take that role up,” he confidently smiled whilst the Princess rolled her eyes, though she did nothing to refute it. 

“She is my weak point. I will do anything to ensure Adelaide is safe, I cannot have that secure if people are able to whisper in her ear,” Augustus sternly countered and left the room in a foul mood.

Leo had the little dancer enclosed in his arms in a flash, smirking as he whispered the obvious in her ear. “I noticed that you did nothing to refute my claim about taking that lover’s role,” his voice was silky smooth as he firmly held her close. 

“You are not my type,” Adelaide laughed, twisting out of his grip. “I merely went along to ruffle my brother’s feathers. The porcelain sister is what I always will be, and destined to only my love of music and dance,” she smiled and slipped from the room before Leo realised nothing was holding him in place, and that the Princess had escaped him again.


	4. Chapter 4

“Have you not noticed the drastic changes?” Adelaide was fuming on a rare day that she was at home and not living and breathing at the theatre. “Heavy curtains are always drawn shut, he never rises before sunset, and that disgusting scent of blood is permanently ingrained into him and all of his clothing!” She exclaimed, pacing about in front of the fire one winter’s eve as Augustus sighed at his sibling’s dramatics. 

“You are imagining things, you are simply away from home too much to truly get a picture of it,” he retorted, rubbing his forehead. 

“He has sought out no suitors for me nor you, does he not want us to continue the family line? Many of my fellow dancers are orphans and able to dedicate themselves wholly until they find another orphan and find out that they are not allowed a romance whilst with the company! They assume that I am an orphan with nothing better to do given my age and lack of male intervention in my life,” the ballet dancer scorned. “It is most surprising to madam that I have a father and a brother!” 

“You have always lived for ballet,” a voice croaked from the doorway, attracting their attention instantly. “You are the embodiment of the perfect dancer. When I first saw you dance, I knew you would go far,” Augustus could not deny his sister’s accusations as they were locked in the room with their father. “I have not fulfilled my humanly fatherly devotions because they are not necessary any more,” he groaned, clutching both of them on the shoulder with a wary smile. “I found how to keep us all alive and together, perfect in our own ways,” his voice was barely more than a whisper, before fangs burst forward, terrifying his children to the core.

The ball was a grand affair, hosted at the mansion the Prince resided at with his sibling and a regular rotation of guests. It was a masquerade as always, Adelaide had been bullying Augustus into it, and pointed out that the anonymity of things was always a thrill as she waltzed around the room on Leo’s arm. Her laugh was music to his ears as he began to think through their only critic of his reign. Many of the Kindred present were new at this game as his sister changed partner to a new vampire to the city, and she immediately turned to a much more demure attitude, and threw her hips about a little more than required in front of him before being thrown back into Leo’s arms just for the song to finish. 

She was happy at events like this. When she could perform. That was the sole reason that their Father had sought eternal life, and the only reason Augustus had been granted that gift. Adelaide was a work of art in herself, their father had passed the torch onto his son shortly after the Embrace whilst he stormed upwards to become a Prince of a European capital city. 

“You will get wrinkles frowning like that,” a new voice chided in humour at the male. “She is having fun, but not in the way like you are perceiving.” 

“Speaking in riddles will not endear you to me,” Augustus spoke sharply, his true nature as a Ventrue shining brightly as he refused to meet the voice. 

“The male she is clutching onto is nothing more than a friend with whom she feels comfortable. I would be more worried about the gentleman in the corner of the room whom she keeps glancing over to see if he is watching her,” they whispered, as Augustus spotted his sister in the middle of it, and sharing a smile with her intention. “Now for someone outside of your inner circle to figure out that maybe the love you two have for each other is not that of a couple-”

The Prince cut the voice off, clutching tightly at the throat of the weasel before pinning him against a column. “Say your piece, and then I will decide if you are allowed to stay,” he ordered. His voice never wavered, only the thinly veiled threat poorly hidden as everyone stopped to watch the drama. 

“Princess Adelaide is your sister, not your lover,” the male choked before his neck was broken under the sheer anger from the Prince. The Primogens and inner circle rushed straight to his side, Adelaide included as the murmurings grew turbulent and heated quickly, and many eyes on the siblings in an instant. Her fingers were gently cupping his face, singing softly to him in Russian after Izolda had taught them the nursery rhymes growing up. 

“The party is over, you are all to leave,” Augustus commanded, storming straight up the stairs after his announcement.


	5. Chapter 5

“Adelaide, it is nearly the wrong side of dawn, what are you doing?” to hear Leo scolding the outed Princess was unusual, and the adorable head tilt she responded with softened his gaze considerably. “You know your brother is working hard on the political side of his reign and doesn’t want to be disturbed.” 

“He has been working since I was outed as his sister. He has had many offers of marriage, I am curious to know if he will be considering them or finding his own path,” she simply replied, a gentle smile on her face as the fairytale images gallivanted off in her head. “I had also heard there were offers of courtship for me, I was hoping to find out if the rumours are true.”

“The only offer of courtship is mine,” Leo grinned deviously and bowed in the old worldly way. “I am quite willing to run off with your heart.”

“And my heart alone I fear if I let you,” Adelaide smiled, shaking her head. “You are too charming to be taken seriously, I have seen the way women fall at your feet.”

“And yet I have never had eyes for anyone but you,” the dark-haired male was gentle in his fingers on her chin, stroking her skin softly as the passion in his dark eyes caught the woman off guard. 

“Leo,” a growl distracted them both, and Augustus was sure that his sister would be blushing if she had the ability. “I am not tolerant of many Kindred, do not make me add you both to my list.”

“I am departing for Amsterdam tomorrow, Father will be most disappointed you couldn’t come, I was hoping for one last persuasion for a night excursion,” Adelaide swept in to steal the conversation, her dancer’s pose holding her head high in the face of a very disgruntled sibling. 

“You will go alone as we have planned. Leo will see you off, and Father will have a minion greet you,” the Prince replied, ending any chance of discussion as he disappeared to his quarters.

“I think he’s actually planned some work for me to try and ensure I don’t run off with you,” the male cheekily grinned back at the woman. 

“Why do I get the feeling that I won’t be boarding that plane alone?”


	6. Chapter 6

Izolda smiled with an almost motherly affection after Adelaide breezed through the gates, Leo at her side. The two women warmly embraced as the male patiently waited for an introduction. “Izolda, this is Leo, one of Augustus’ closest,” the dancer graced after a short, intense conversation in Russian. “Leo, this is Izolda, my tutor and governess,” she smiled a little tensely before he bowed in the old worldly fashion that the Princess had been brought up in. 

There was an overly large SUV waiting outside the airport as the trio weaved through the late night crowd. The last flight between capital cities had been full of business people, mostly in their suits, and giving the two ‘teenagers’ the stink eyes at their rather casual attire in jeans and t-shirts. The journey was silent between them all, though Leo recognised it as familiarity between the two women. Adelaide was gazing out of the window and taking in the sights whilst Izolda was taking comfort in their physical presence. The male knew that the second Adelaide had a chance, she would pin him down for answers on why he was ruffling her brother’s feathers at such a time, but for now, it was simply time to enjoy studying the dancer whilst she was not on guard. 

“Papa!” the Princess squealed as the car pulled into an underground communal garage. The stance mimicked the one that Augustus gave when new Kindred were introduced, it was as though someone had aged the Prince from London and cloned him to put him in Amsterdam, there was nothing aside from a subtly of grey hairs to suggest they were even different people. Until Adelaide ran up to him and leapt for a hug, which was rewarded with the biggest bear hug, Leo had seen, and far from the reaction, Augustus would ever grace his sibling with. 

“Why are you here really?” Izolda was the last person the male had expected to start the intimidation and integration. “Augustus said he would be sending Adelaide alone after it came that he could not leave his city.”

“Adelaide was outed a few weeks ago as his sister, Augustus was fuming and has retreated into his study ever since and ignore the growing list of marriage proposals for himself, but mostly aimed for Adelaide,” Leo opened, avoiding the piercing Russian’s gaze as he watched the Princess with her father, the love between them bursting at the seams. “She’s never been lonelier since Augustus will never let anyone get close to her, and it’s my only critic of his reign is that he doesn’t let her find love.”

“That doesn’t answer why you are accompanying her,” the dance tutor reminded him, a dark tone to her voice. 

“I can’t keep my eyes off her, she’s amazing, and since one Prince keeps saying I can’t, why not ask another?” Leo smiled innocently as the governess realised his intent. 

“If Prince George allows for anyone to date his daughter, then Prince Augustus will abide by the decision, but, swapping your target from brother to father? You are jumping out of the pan and into the fire,” the Russian tightly smiled as the male gathered the bags together and the pair started to infringe on the catch-up. 

“Papa, this is Leo-” Adelaide started before she was cut off and the dark haired boy was pulled into a tight bear hug by the Prince of Amsterdam. “Papa?”

“I remember his master well,” George warmly smiled, setting Leo back on his feet. “Augustus was too busy then with his mortal life to remember Leo when he was just turned as the older Kindred clapped his hands on the boy’s shoulders. “You are still chasing for a chance of a kiss with Adelaide I see,” he replied softly. “I am to take it then that Augustus continued the lovers' facade until recently, what happened for it to break?”

“An unknown Kindred broke it at a masquerade ball a few weeks ago, Augustus has kept Adelaide on house arrest while we Primogen try to find the leak and those responsible,” Leo formally reported. 

“What did he say of your request?” George calmly asked, noting how stumped and stunned his usually graceful daughter was at how the scene was playing out before her. 

“Denied, and said that the illusion must be upheld that they are lovers and that no one else could be seen to court the Princess,” the male bashfully responded. 

“What does my Princess want?” the Prince of Amsterdam broke through the invisible barrier that had been keeping everything at bay, and Adelaide could no longer keep from slipping out of Leo’s charming grasp. She diverted her gaze and was insanely grateful that a blush would give nothing away of what her private thoughts were leading to. “Permission granted,” her father softly said. “But I will not hesitate to hunt you down from outside of my jurisdiction,” he reminded Leo before gesturing for them to all stop discussing things outside in public. “Come, I have some feeling that we all could do with some relaxation.”

A brief shower and change of clothes later, the four were all gathered in the spread out lounge, chilled glasses of blood in hand as Leo was mentally assessing how close to sit to Adelaide without pressuring her. He was surprised when she sat next to him, her feet tucked up on the sofa, and her body was slightly leaning against his, when he had always tried the sneaky affectionate touches in the past, she had slipped away like a wisp never meant to be held. To see her in the relaxed presence of her father instead of her elder brother, it was as though her walls had disappeared while his fingers trailed through her silky smooth hair. 

“When do you start rehearsals?” Izolda broke the illusion of the escaping male as he remembered why Adelaide was really in Amsterdam.

“Tomorrow, I made them bend everything and insist on nighttime shows only with me in,” the Princess replied, sipping at her drink.

“You’d be surprised how few of our kind make it as far as you have without problems,” the Russian smiled. 

“They asked after you,” Adelaide tilted her head in an appealing manner towards her governess. “I said I would put some words in for you to come and assess the state of their dancers. I would appreciate nothing more than your presence to ensure my performance is not sub-par.”


	7. Chapter 7

Leo was hungry for something other than blood as Adelaide began the retreat towards the private quarters they had been granted during the extended stay. He had the curious Princess flush against him as he tried to figure out his emotions before they were barely off the main corridor. 

“Leo, I know you are desperate for something, but really, some privacy out of the view of my father is the key here,” Adelaide lightly chided, spinning and slipping from his embrace before extending her hand, a telling smile on her features before the Primogen was stroking her cheeks in affection. Her light was igniting something inside of him as she stayed a step out of his reach and then practically ran into the private bathroom, leaving the male feeling very heavy as he waited impatiently. 

Her makeup had been removed, and her clothing changed to much looser clothes to sleep in once she finally stepped out of the room. Her smile told him that she had taken her time on purpose, her face back in his hands and his lips dominating hers in an instance. There was a whiff of flowers about her as he pulled her against him, all of his senses were off the charts, and he could only slide his fingers over her skin in an attempt to get closer to understanding his deep infatuation with this wonderful woman. 

“If I had any breath left to take away, I do think you would have just done it,” Adelaide was giggling when they finally parted. 

“I don’t think you understand how long I’ve been wanting to do that,” Leo hoarsely replied, his thumb gently stroking her slightly swollen lips.

“We are too close to dawn to do much,” the Princess reminded him, gliding towards the extravagant bed and satin smooth covers.


	8. Chapter 8

Much to Izolda’s despair, both Prince George and Leo had insisted on accompanying both women to the rehearsal, a rarity that was allowed on the basis of who was asking for the favour. Neither male had ever seen an actual performance for over a hundred and fifty years from the Kindred as the Russian could be heard barking orders at the backing dancers while the orchestra began their warm up.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Before we start, I have some fantastic news!” A rather excited young man traipsed onto the stage, immediately commanding all the attention as Adelaide peered out from the side curtains. “Lauri Henson has agreed to star alongside Adelaide Smyth!” He beamed, and the rest of the cast groaned as they realised they would spend most of the next two days before opening night practising until they bled. “None of this! We are honoured!”

Lauri had already charmed his way to Adelaide as she recognised him from the welcoming party that Augustus had hosted many weeks before. She felt a warmth that blossomed from deep within as he kissed the back of her hand. Leo’s growls were picked up by her enhanced hearing, as did the new male as he smirked in the direction of the two seated men. “I look forward to dancing with you,” he murmured in her ear before deliberately kissing her cheek and turning away. 

Izolda was present mere seconds later. “I had no idea Lauri Henson was one of us,” she muttered to her star pupil. 

“He came to Augustus’ party, though we only met on visuals and didn’t have time to introduce ourselves before the Prince changed his mind and decided we weren’t having a party anymore,” Adelaide replied, her azure eyes not quite leaving the beautiful sight of the new Kindred from across the stage. “He is highly spoken of by directors, and many of his performances are sell outs within minutes of his presence is muttered.” 

“It is rumoured that he has been chasing you, Miss Smyth,” one of the choir girls interrupted as soon as the vampire took her eyes off Lauri. 

“Well, we shall see what truth there is,” Adelaide smiled back, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes as the orchestra began to warm up the opening of Coppelia.

It was the early hours before Adelaide was sat on the edge of the stage and massaging her feet after removing her shoes carefully. She practised religiously on a daily basis, but it was seldom that she repeated the moves like she had that evening. Her father and Leo had disappeared shortly after she had begun her performance, they had probably forgotten how dull and repetitive it was to the untrained eye as Izolda offered a rare smile for a compliment, though Lauri was quicker to cut in and sit next to the Princess. 

“The choir girl wasn’t wrong,” he humoured, his body centimetres from hers as she tilted her head in curiosity. “I’ve been trying to get directors to sign you before I’d confirm anywhere. When I finally got wind that you’d be performing here in Amsterdam, then I knew I could twist anyone’s arm into letting me take the lead male role on.” 

“And what interest does little me really hold to an established dancer like yourself?” Adelaide was careful in her words, before the Finnish male caught her off guard, and captured her in a passionate kiss and embrace. 

“I’ve seen who you really are Princess,” Lauri’s voice was low in her ear once they parted, his arms firmly around her as she realised that she had never viewed him as a threat like she did with most men, steadying herself against his muscled chest. “And I saw how that Primogen has been treating you, you deserve to be shown off properly to the world. Neither your brother nor your father would object to you being taken far away from the political sphere and to find your true happiness in your performances,” he murmured. “Please give me a chance to show you,” Lauri had slid off the stage and was offering an outstretched hand to the stunned woman. “I have admired you from afar for so long with the dream I can make that smile reach your eyes, please let me have the chance.”

From nowhere, Lauri was blasted the stage away, a fuming Leo in front of the dancer in an instant. He was shaking in anger before Adelaide could free herself of the emotional paralysis. “There was no need to go that far,” she scolded the British male while dashing across to make sure that the other man was not too badly hurt nor the stage too badly damaged. “Gentlemen, no chest beating. We all have a performance to do tomorrow, and I will not be put off because you both decided to devolve back to Neanderthals,” the female snapped, curling the Finnish’s response to Leo. “Lauri, I will see you for final rehearsal tomorrow night, Leo you will be leaving to go back to Augustus. He will be furious enough as it is, I will refrain from advising him of what occurred here if you leave now.” 

“No.” 

Lauri was surprised to see the Princess calm when her order was refuted. Pulling out a mobile phone, a brief text to her brother presumably, until the Prince of Amsterdam was present moments later. “Leo,” his voice boomed, and all the Kindred present bowed in respect to his authority. “Follow me, and this does not need to escalate,” he offered, an outstretched hand in a peace offering. 

“And leave Adelaide open to him?” the Primogen was letting his situation get the better of him, snarling in anger as the Princess closed herself off internally, her azure eyes as cold and blank as the northern seas in deep winter. 

“I’m going home, you are going back to London and do not worry Leo, my brother will hear every detail of how you decided to go around him to get permission to date me,” she stated, breezing past as George and Izolda took the momentum to block the dancer from both men in her departure.


	9. Chapter 9

Adelaide was trying to avoid being stabbed with the needle, last minute alterations to costumes as she was attempting to get through the dress rehearsal without killing any underlings, directors or stagehands. Lauri had taken the message quite clearly from the previous night was her only consolation, and outside of his passion for dance and perfection on stage, he had been taken to hiding in his dressing room when he wasn’t required on stage. 

“Miss Smyth!” a panicked voice of a choir girl, they were all looking identical in full makeup and costume, it was impossible for her to know which one it was of the twenty or so who were there. “It’s Izolda-” 

Leo was fuming as he was holding the tutor hostage, both Lauri and Adelaide were rushing in pointe shoes to the stage front. The Russian was as calm as ever, proudly stood in the middle aisle while restrained by the Primogen, despite that she knew to hide the masquerade she was gasping for air that she didn’t require. A sharp knife to her neck was the much more pressing issue, the blade glimmering the bold stage lights as the Princess was trying to analyse and assess the situation without making it worse. 

“You are not dancing,” the Primogen declared, glaring down the female Kindred without a second thought, his jealousy out of control as it raged like a wildfire in a dry forest. “Or I will kill her.” 

Lauri was hesitant to see what the Princess would do. Her tutor was a pivotal figure in Adelaide’s life, it was a known thing around the ballet companies that Izolda would be there if the dancer was procured for a performance, and it was also a massive pro to securing the Smyth name. “Leo,” she softly said, stepping forward slowly and steadily and coming off the stage to put them all on even footing, unexpected moves would only guarantee to upset the man as movements in the shadows caught the Finnish male’s eyes. 

Two very similar looking men disarmed the Primogen and restrained him, freeing the horrified Russian from her employer’s associate. Lauri was surprised to see that the Prince of Chester was in Amsterdam, and that apparently there was more than just the two of them as another male who looked identical to both Augustus and Adelaide secured Leo into unconsciousness. Prince George was enclosing his precious daughter in a hug before the Finnish male was suddenly accosted by the Prince on foreign soil. 

“Just what do you think you are doing?” Augustus was looking lethal, he was unarmed, but the emotion in his eyes was unrestrained as his younger sister finally caught on to the situation. 

“Augustus,” she gently interfered, a hand on her brother’s arm, and one on Lauri’s. Her tone was magical to the situation, the soothing that was needed as the Finn was surprised as her fingers linked through his. “Lauri is a dancer, he had nothing to do with Leo,” she urged, putting her slight body between them both. “Leo was asking Papa for permission to date me without actually asking me if I wanted to date him, and he didn’t take it well when Lauri actually asked me and caught my attention,” she tried to explain before the blonde could calmly interrupt, and gently pulled the stressed woman in for a hug. 

“Augustus, I am Lauri Henson,” he smiled, offering a large hand to the unsuspecting Prince. “Your sister has had my interest from afar for a long time now, it is the first time I have been able to work with her and my affections from afar bubbled over when I met her properly yesterday,” he continued, bowing in respect. 

“Whatever, when you’re both back in my domain I will take things more seriously,” he muttered and gestured for his lookalike to bring the unconscious Primogen with their departure. 

Adelaide realised that they were meant to be in the middle of rehearsal, and nearly had a meltdown when Lauri caught her lips with his own, a stirring confession of his feelings for the strong female and wiping her mind of the current problems. Their only interruption was a loud applause, and the orchestra starting up as all the cast had emerged from their hiding spots. The Princess was grateful for the amount of makeup required for these shows as she took an embarrassed expression on and refused to look any of the cast in the face. 

Izolda was staying behind to finalise the tweaks on the choir and supporting dancers as they finished the run through. Adelaide was feeling nervous as she removed the last of her stage makeup, and stared hard at herself in the mirror. She was looking pale even by Kindred standards before a knock at her door startled her out of her critical eyeing. 

“Adelaide?” Lauri was hesitant just to open the door, especially when privacy was not guaranteed in the theatre. Many marriages had been ruined in these places and gossip would already be rife, it would not be that surprising to hear that the Princess was involved in a threeway soon enough in the media. 

“Come in,” she finally replied, making sure that she looked presentable to anyone else who was passing by. 

“Izolda is staying, she is not happy with a couple of routines,” Lauri smiled. “I offered to escort you home, and she said that would be your decision. Though I also thought a bite would be needed?” His words were carefully chosen before the female nodded in agreement. 

“Yes, a bite may make all the difference,” she smiled, grateful that at least she would not need to be hiding herself from a mortal mate at least. 

The air was refreshing after sweating their way through performances. The Kindred had spent many years honing their skills and did not appear to sweat for this reason. Though under the baking lights of a stage, it was nearly impossible sometimes to pass off the mortal look before Lauri suddenly took a turn down a side street, and purposely knocked a man back. 

“I’m so sorry!” The English fell off his tongue on purpose as Adelaide then caught onto his act. “I didn’t realise, I am so sorry, are you okay?” He was overeager in straightening the male up, catching his gaze with his own as the Princess started to murmur sweet nothings into the woman who had been with him. 

The couple were a couple of pints lighter for their donation, but the Kindred made sure that they were safe before separating ways. Lauri leant against a barrier over the canal, pulling Adelaide into him as though protecting her from a bitter wind as she laughed at the overtly masculine move. 

“I will not freeze to death,” she scolded, her back against his chest. 

“No, but I don’t want others to keep stealing glances of your pretty face,” he grinned.

“The world will always be catching glances of my face as long as I perform,” Adelaide replied, though she did nothing to stop the male from protecting her with his larger frame. 

“I did not realise you had another brother, I thought it was merely you and Augustus,”’ Lauri needed to change the topic, to keep Adelaide emotionally relieved from the stresses of the evening. 

“There are four years between Augustus and me, and then another six between Errol and me. He is rarely seen around, I have no idea where he can usually be found, but Papa and Augustus can always reach him when they need him. So I assume I am not on a need to know basis,” the smile she gave was bitter, and the Finnish male could not help but place a soft kiss to her inviting lips. 

“Don’t pull those faces,” he murmured, wrapping her up tightly in a hug. “I can’t stand to see you so strained and feeling unimportant.”

“My father and brother are both Princes, I am a pretty face. I am really only seen as a pawn for the most part. I dance as a way to escape,” Adelaide shrugged, resuming her gaze over the canal. 

“Well, the world is at a loss then, because you are a true marvel. Come on, staying out for much longer will do neither of us any good,” he smiled, stepping back and gently encasing her hand in his. “My apartment is nearby if you wish to stay? Or I can call your father from there to arrange transport?” 

“Papa will be worried enough since he will not see me until after all the performances now,” her laugh was too trying to be as carefree as she wanted it to be.


	10. Chapter 10

Her ribbons had snapped for the third day in a row as Adelaide threw the pair angrily across her dressing room and yelled for a stagehand to come to her instantly. She huffed out some instructions to find Izolda who kept spare pairs securely away somewhere before slamming her door shut in the face of Lauri when he came to see what the commotion was. 

“They are calling you an unreasonable diva, I am becoming inclined to agree,” he stiffly announced and pushed her door open with a dark drink in his hand for her. “You are not feeding properly, and your brother and father are becoming as unbearable as you are. I do not know what has been said, but you cannot keep taking it out on Izolda or the other dancers and staff.” 

“They want this to be my final performance,” she screamed, draining the glass and throwing it in anger against the wall. 

The Finnish male wrapped her tightly up in an embrace as Izolda ran into the room, and Adelaide broke down crying in his arms. 

“So Augustus and George made that demand of you?” the Russian calmly asked, putting the new pointe shoes on her chair as Lauri slowly lowered himself and the dancer onto the sofa in her room. He cradled her closely, stroking her loose hair and trying to block the world out of the room. “They are despicable to ask such a thing of you. You were embraced for your love and talents, to stop you from performing would be the death of you.”

“Could you technically just ignore them and move out of their domains?” Lauri hesitantly asked, his eyes staring more at her tutor who was considering the implications of the question.

“Technically yes,” Izolda finally drawled. “Outside of their domains, they can only make the requests if there is a substantial risk to the masquerade being exposed.”

“Moscow has been clamouring for us to both train there for some time,” the Finnish whispered dangerously into the weeping woman’s ear. “They have been asking after Izolda too. Many Kindred around there live for the higher culture we can lead.”

“We’ll need to slip away quickly. Papa was talking of collecting me after the performance,” Adelaide was failing to stifle her hysterics. 

“That will be easy to solve,” the smile the Russian gave them was chilling to the core. 

The applause was as addictive as ever. To hear the cheers as Adelaide and Lauri took their bows was as exhilarating as the first time she had performed, and her father and brothers were all present in the theatre and waiting for the exact moment she would be in street clothing and out of all her makeup. To impose their will onto her without a question of what she wanted. 

Lauri swept her off stage the second the curtain was down, and Izolda had already transferred her clothing to his dressing room. The stagehands had been walking around in a daze for most of the second half and were making things much more difficult for everyone else than strictly necessary as the Finnish tried to give Adelaide the space for stripping out of her costume, while also attempting to change as quickly as physically possible. Izolda was banging on the door the second they were both dressed, and they were rushing to get out of the front exits. The stage doors would be on lockdown, that much was certain as they purposely kept hoods up and blurred the minds of everyone they passed in the last of the audience milling about the foyer. 

It was only once they were past passport control in Schipol that they could let the tension loose a little. George and Augustus had brought Adelaide up on private aeroplane travel only, so for her to use commercial flights was virtually unthinkable, especially with deciding to fly outside of first class on paper. Though Lauri had effectively bought the whole flight and managed to get the plane bathed in darkness the second they boarded, and they all succumbed to the exhaustion of instant planning and escaping. 

Lauri wasn’t surprised to see all the paparazzi crowded in the airport with his arm slung over Adelaide’s shoulders. Their hoods up and big shades on to try and avoid the pain of the weak sun while one of his ghouls nearly ran the mob over so the three of them could leave without too much of an international incident. Izolda was still exhausted behind the UV glass of the modified Jeep, and her head was propped up by her hand. 

“Relax, I am held in very high regard by the Prince,” Lauri smiled. “And she will not let George or Augustus throw their weight around in her domain.”


	11. Chapter 11

“Oh come on Lauri, you cannot seriously expect me to not know about the infamous Smyth Kindred,” the Prince snapped that evening. The sun had set a few hours earlier, and things had not slowed down at all since they had woken from a brief nap after the flight. “You cannot just think that because of who you are that this will go without any repercussions for you!” She exasperated while storming across his apartment in anger. “I have had Prince George, Prince Errol and Prince Augustus all calling for your head after finding out who you really are,” she continued, pacing about in front of the sofa which Adelaide and Lauri were snuggled up on. “Then I find out that you’ve only gone and got the infamous Smyth Princess which is why they’re now after you!” 

“They wanted me to stop dancing,” Adelaide stated calmly, her azure eyes giving away her true emotions to the stressed Kindred. 

“So it’s all a bit of male chest beating-” she tried to evade the root of the problem. 

“They have stopped me from doing what I want to for nearly two hundred years. The only thing I have is ballet. I live for the performances, it is my sole reason for being transformed, and now the same people who turned me are telling me I cannot keep doing it because it causes them some problems with my brother’s rogue Primogen taking a fancy to me to the point he’s threatening the very Prince he is meant to be protecting,” the Princess was disturbingly good at emotionally straining herself, Lauri was trying to keep her calm whilst the brewing storm of emotions inside the dancer became strongly apparent. 

“You can’t stop Adelaide,” Lauri softly spoke. “She’s a Toreador and speaks through her dance. To deny her the chances to perform is to deny the world the wonders and joy of her art.”

The Prince of Moscow looked forlorn about the entire fiasco. She had three other Princes currently calling on her to do something about it, but seeing how strongly both of them felt about it, and that the woman’s tutor of nearly two hundred years had come with them to help them escape told her that there was a lot more than what the Princes were admitting. 

“I won’t do anything. I’ll tell them that it’s all adults involved here and that you’re under my jurisdiction. Unless anything is done to expose the masquerade, I won’t do anything, and they will not be allowed onto my territory without invitation, or it will be seen as a hostile act,” she finally conceded. “Stop looking like you’ve won Lauri. I’m just granting you the chance to prove that I’ve done the right thing. The second it goes sour, I will turn you out of my city.”

“Thank you, Rebekah,” he bowed in respect. “As long as you do nothing to turn Adelaide out if my actions do not go to my plans.”

“If nothing is done to expose the masquerade, then Adelaide and Izolda will never be turned away,” the Prince sighed in defeat. “I will make you pay me back for this favour.”

“I know,” he grinned brightly at the blonde, who looked more frustrated than ever before turning to his new partner. “By the way, Adelaide Smyth, Princess of Amsterdam and Chester, this is the Prince of Moscow, Rebekah Moshanshev,” he beamed, belated introductions between the women apparently humouring him after all the frustration shown. 

“You mentioned Prince Errol?” Adelaide queried after shaking her head at the Finnish male. “Which city does he command?” 

“I am surprised Prince George has not told you, he had recently commanded control of Paris. I also heard he was trying to get Augustus to leave Chester for London,” Rebekah smiled wryly. “It would not surprise me if they wanted you to cease dancing so a political manoeuvre could be made on Madrid or Berlin.”

“Berlin would be my father’s style, though I cannot see any Kindred being good enough to meet all of their approval. I have heard nothing of Errol since my early career as a ballet dancer began. I guess he was cast out to start the work early on,” the dancer murmured, deep in thought as she gazed out over the skyline. 

“I will take my leave anyway, you know how to get hold of me if necessary, I will make myself clear to the Smyths regarding stepping foot in Moscow,” Rebekah nodded to Lauri before excusing herself. 

“After all these years, it seems he truly has not changed,” a rueful voice came from behind the couple, attracting their attention to Izolda. “He was frequently out attending to deals as a mortal, then chasing the whispers of the undead, and then claiming an area as a Prince. He seeks nothing but domination, and using his pretty daughter as a pawn in it all,” she smiled sadly, gently holding Adelaide’s face. “Moscow is the safest place for now. I have many contacts with the ballets. Many Kindred circle around the theatres, the masquerade is safe here.” 

“The important thing is to make sure that my father and brother’s influence does not spread this far, there are many I am willing to wager who would do anything to curry their favour,” Adelaide sourly replied, sighing and looking away from her tutor and partner. The skyline of Moscow looked stunning in the night, the lights of buildings illuminating the bitterly cold autumnal night that was expected of Russia’s brutal weather. 

“You will be dancing soon enough,” Lauri spoke, breaking the depression that had begun its hold on the slight woman. “I will have no doubt that the Moscow companies will soon grasp hold that we are both here for the foreseeable future, and audition us for whichever ballet shall take our fancy,” he smiled, standing next to the Princess as he soaked up the scenery before them. 

“I may also believe that if there are as many rumours about me being attached to you, then you shall have the entirety of the companies at your disposal anyway,” Izolda added, standing the other side of the dancer. “Moscow is our playground. The Mortals who live here do not recognise it, but they are far from in control of this city and its sprawling suburbs.”


	12. Chapter 12

“Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Anastasia,” Lauri was listing off the paper in front of him as Adelaide’s eyebrows were threatening to disappear off her head in surprise. “Just about every director in Russia has made a bid, all of them willing to relocate the entire company for a chance at us both performing after the masterpiece that was Amsterdam,” he widely grinned. “Apparently such passion and compatibility has never been seen before in two leads.”

“Only because you could not keep your hands in the required places,” Izolda scolded the male, making a sweeping glance down the list in the Finn’s hands. “Don Juan may be the best move to make after Coppelia was performed. It may play very well to both of your strengths, and also allow you both to trial your voices for the public,” she smirked. Previous directors had caught Adelaide singing and begged for her to take on the challenge, but she had always slipped off behind the smoke screen of pleasing her father. 

“Are we back on this topic? I really don’t want to try and even practice to hit those notes,” the Princess scornfully replied, dismissing the singing without a thought, though she was busy looking up the ballet on her phone without hesitation. 

“Take a new challenge, you may enjoy it,” Izolda suggested to the Kindred, “If it is a horrible mess, I will never bring it up again.” 

It was almost impossible for the woman to believe after meeting the director, and finding that they were in the presence of yet another Kindred. Valerian Kozlov was a Russian born and bred. He had strayed from Moscow on only a handful of occasions and instead relied on constantly changing those around him in the company. Rebekah was once involved with him, but then a Ventrue and a Toreador would struggle to keep their paths compatible as she pursued her own visions for Kindred society. Valerian’s fingers skimmed Adelaide’s exposed shoulder, and the woman was swept up into the arms of the Finn as a possessive marker. 

“So the rumours are true then,” Valerian was not as uninterested as it had seemed, chuckling to himself as the couple looked on confused. “Three Princes are calling for your head and the return of the youngest Smyth. You are both the talk of the world and also the most elusive couple to find outside of set performances,” he turned slowly to them both. “To locate yourselves solidly in Moscow, and to find a long term production? You are both trying to avoid the inevitable it feels.”

“My family has lost their mind,” Adelaide snapped. “They demanded I stop dancing and lose my purpose for keeping my sanity all because a Primogen of my brother’s has fallen for me in ways I do not fully reciprocate! And he would rather have spent his time chasing my fancy than doing his duty at my brother’s side. Apparently, that is my fault, and I must be punished for turning a male to such a path,” she scorned, entertaining the Russian male. “I live for nothing more than my performance, it was the reason I was turned. To deny me that purpose and chance now would be to deny me my life.”

“Then my sole concern is that the rest of the cast will not measure up,” Valerian softly spoke after an extended silence. 

“That will be no problem,” Izolda smiled, stepping out from the shadows and startling the director. “They will improve under my tutorage, or they will not make it to the stage.”


	13. Chapter 13

Rebekah had heard that dancers were some of the hardest at partying, but as she tried to make her way through the crowd that had gathered at the penthouse suite of Lauri’s, she realised that she had no idea what they actually meant. Everyone was on something as she finally spotted the Finn and the Brit tied up in each other and moving to some form of noise. 

The crowd almost breathed as one being, everyone caught up in the euphoria as the Prince lay a hand on Adelaide’s shoulder. “Your father and brothers have men about the city. They are demanding an invite to the city now they have heard that you are to perform. Apparently, there is something I need to hear,” she could tell that Lauri was more upset by the physical contact with the Princess than the actual news. “I’ve managed to persuade them to meet in neutral territory in St Petersburg, but I fear that I won’t be able to keep them out for much longer without dragging all Kindred through it.”

“Let them attend, we will not be leaving,” scorned the male, twisting their bodies so that Adelaide was no longer in reach of the Prince. “We have done nothing to expose the masquerade and Adelaide is doing what makes her happy, they cannot force a thing.”

“They can kidnap her if you are not careful,” the Prince simply replied before disappearing. The thought brought chills to the Finn before the Brit grazed her teeth over his lips. 

“If they believe I will go without any resistance, then they are wrong,” she smiled and kissed him with a fiery passion that set his heart alight. “Come, we have a bed to warm.”


	14. Chapter 14

The makeup artists were swarming backstage as the lead dancers were calmly waiting in the wings. To watch the opening scene of Swan Lake was to watch the perfection of a classic, though, from the twitching of Izolda’s eyes, many of the choir girls would be practising into the middle of the following day before Lauri and Adelaide went to command the attention of the theatre. They moved as one, as though they were in the other’s mind and knew at which precise point the other would move and require a response in a complementary manner. To watch them perform was to watch the pinnacle of ballet it seemed. It was so easy to get absorbed in admiring their perfection that Izolda failed to notice someone approaching her, and knocking her unconscious.

Augustus and Errol both leapt onto the stage from far above, pinning their sister away from her lover before stealing her off the stage. Prince George then made the bold move of stopping Lauri from being able to catch a glimpse of Adelaide before all the Princes had disappeared with their precious Princess. The theatre was in an uproar, thankfully the opening performance had not been open to non-Kindred, so there was no masquerade to maintain, but the Prince of Moscow had now got a political power play on her hands, as the enraged Lauri Henson chased her down immediately from the stage. 

“I need to get my Primogen together! I can’t take on three Princes alone!” She yelled at him as his nails dug into her skin. “I am one Kindred against three! I will stand no chance if I go now!”

“She is losing her chance at living with every passing second!” the Finn deplored the female, the deepest pits of sorrow in his eyes as he dropped to his knees.

“I am not forbidding you from chasing,” she softly pointed out, the light bulb flickering on over his head before the dancer disappeared in the blink of an eye. “Valerian! Gather the rest of them!” She yelled before Rebekah disappeared back to her own point of gathering. This would shake the Kindred world most likely, and it would bring out a ‘them versus us’ culture for definite. 

Lauri was looking pitiful as the rest of the Primogen took their seats in Rebekah’s sprawling lounge. Blood was on offer in crystal glasses as she took their attention silently. “The Smyth Princes have taken a bold initiative in my city, and kidnapped Princess Adelaide, who came here to escape their will,” her wording was chosen carefully, giving out too much information would leave the Prince of Moscow vulnerable to attack. “This is a critical point. I could let it slide, and then practically invite anyone to take over from me because I will not protect the Kindred who live under my rule. Or I could strike back, and face the wrath of just about every other Prince going,” she levelled, opening the floor up to their opinions.

“A strike would state that you are prepared to protect your own,” a dark and sultry voice which spoke of satin sheets and long nights came from the far side of Lauri, long, black and silky hair framing a face that was nothing shy of the perfect Russian noble. Rebekah’s protege, Sofia was the lover of many a politician, though she would slip through the shadows without a thought and many would claim to know her, but struggle to recall anything about her. “Letting this go unrewarded would open this city up to too much, we have too many Kindred here that rely on a stricter state of protection than many others.”

“But can we withstand the brunt of Amsterdam, Paris and London? It may only be a matter of weeks since Augustus has made his claim on London, but he is willing already to try such a bold move as to kidnap his much-beloved sibling,” the scorn of the Brujah Primogen was one that would always sting as Rebekah forced a smile on her face. 

“He always did tickle my fancy,” a camp and deranged laugh from her right brought the Prince to reassess her true situation internally. To ask for the opinion of the insane Malkavian was to bring the Ventrue to a new low. “He reacts less like a Princely Ventrue, and more like one of my own, though that is reportedly what Prince Errol is,” he snickered. “Maybe the siblings do not like being outed for these reasons.” 

“Adelaide is a Toreador, who they sought to stop performing, she will succumb to the Beast, and we will all lose that light she shines,” Lauri’s voice was hollow. Rebekah knew his true meaning, he would also lose that ability to stop the stray from their inner monster. “They seek to use her for political gains, which will be nothing short of a disaster for her and anyone else they try to manipulate and involve,” his voice was loaded with spite and venom, something rarely heard from the dancer as the silent witness in the conversation placed a comforting hand on the male’s shoulder.

“We must make a response and an attempt to rescue the Princess,” the Tremere Primogen finally spoke up, surprising them all, and bringing out a delusional smile of encouragement on the face of the Malkavian next to the Prince of Moscow. “If nothing else to show all Kindred that this will not be taken without repercussions, and it may inspire the Princess to fight enough that we can reach her to bring her back,” he smiled, a dark glimmer appearing in his eyes as Rebekah was remembering why it was rare for her to assemble the Primogen all together. These minds worked dangerously well together, and it was possible that the Smyth Princes would barely survive to regret their moves.


	15. Chapter 15

The window refused to budge, even if it did, then there was nowhere for the Kindred to go. Adelaide groaned in frustration, her brothers had brought her here, and she didn’t even know what city or country she was in. They had abandoned her after locking the door, and she only knew that the fridge was stocked with enough blood to last for a few weeks after throwing the book at the main door in anger. She was meant to be performing with Lauri, something that made her heart heavy at the thought of him dancing without her. There was a chemistry present that she had never experienced before. There was no second guessing, they each knew how to time every little move perfectly for the best effects, and if either of them misplaced themselves, the other was able to cover without even considering what to do. It was like breathing when it came to dancing with Lauri. Adelaide had never felt so alive as to that first performance alongside him in Amsterdam. It had been a week of what she had long been seeking. There had never been such a moment in her entire career that made the woman realise that she had been seeking it. To give a perfect performance was a Toreador’s passion in her path, to achieve it was virtually unheard of as the frustrated female stripped to her basic leggings and t-shirt, and decided that this forced retreat would not be the end of her dance career. 

The end of the music was to tell Adelaide she had been alone for over six hours as she finally rested on the floor, massaging her bare feet from all the pounding of the wooden floor she had been doing. It was usually a great stress relief, but it provided nothing but a dull ache of pain as the hours had ticked by. Then Augustus appeared, looking disgruntled to see his younger sister propped up by the wall and having just finished her daily dance practice without most of her everyday items. 

“You can take all the dance items from me, but you cannot stop me from dancing,” Adelaide’s voice was heavy and dark as she glared at her brother, the siblings nearly standing at the same height once the dancer was back on her feet. “You told me to stop dancing so you could find me an appropriate partner, but I don’t think any of you have really thought it through-”

“Everything we have done is for you,” a scratchy voice that the woman had not heard for over a hundred and fifty years chilled the dancer to her core. “We became Kindred so you could be forever immortalised as you are, the best dancer that anyone has known,” the voice crept closer. “We have done everything to make you happy. And then you throw it back at us,” Errol looked like a deranged image of Augustus as her brothers stared Adelaide down. Her heart was in her throat as the two men backed her into a corner. “We’ve found you the protection you need, so we can live as we want,” he murmured, robotically stroking her cheek. 

“Boys,” their father’s voice was the most charismatic and commanding of the Smyth name. He was idolised by virtually every Kindred who had simply heard of him. Then his sons were graced with the same admiration. Adelaide was always the one who had been hidden in the tower or protected by any means to stop anyone getting too close to the girl, and her inexperience was beating wildly at the woman in this situation as her father stood next to another established male, cold smiles on both of their faces. “We must allow Adelaide time to become acquainted with her fiancé,” he smirked, gesturing to the Ancilla next to him. “Meet Matthew, the Prince of Budapest,” though the new male bowed deeply, the smile on his face did nothing to warm his dead eyes, and the kiss to the back of the female’s hand a practised move that had swayed many before her, and would sway many to come as a twitch of a smile was all that Adelaide could manage. “Come, we leave them for now.”

The departure of her family left a sizable hole as the Prince began to size up his wife-to-be in indiscriminate detail. The couple circled each other, assessing the reactions to small noises and false moves before stepping back to opposite sides of the dance room. Then Matthew took to studying their surroundings, sneering at the mirrors and polished beams and old fashioned music player. 

“None of that when we’re married,” he stated, staring down the many photos and articles that were amassed about Adelaide. 

“Then you have condemned me to death,” she calmly announced. “I would rather face the sun than to give up dance.” She stood next to him, her body perfectly straight as she recalled the first reviews that came in after she had been embraced. With the removal of the human element, she did not tire as easily which meant she could practice for longer with fewer repercussions. “My father embraced me purely for my talent at dance. To deny me the ability to perform would be to condemn the world to suffer,” she poetically added before turning away to leave the room. 

“I meant performing all over the world. I merely can only protect you in my own realm, you would be situated permanently in Budapest, which you have never performed at I may point out,” Matthew stated, not taking his eyes off the articles. 

“My father didn’t like your predecessor. Apparently, there was a hungry look in his eyes when I was mentioned,” the Princess replied, hovering near the door as her curiosity got the better of her. 

“Rebekah has sent her intentions to all the Princes of Europe. There is to be war,” Matthew laughed with a coldness that sent shivers up the Princess’ spine and then found she was pinned to the wall under the Ancilla’s power. “You are causing quite the stir little lady, I hope you can appreciate which side everyone is picking for you,” he hissed and then departed the apartment suddenly, leaving Adelaide with the crushing weight of responsibility on her shoulders as she sunk to the floor.


	16. Chapter 16

Budapest was a beautiful city as Adelaide was wrapped up in the harsh winter night. She was admiring the view while her fiancé patiently waited a few steps away. Matthew was a charming man when he wished to be, which was mostly when other Kindred were present, and he had been eager to get the Princess back to his territory, especially as the Prince of Moscow had effectively declared war against Adelaide’s family and their allies. It was humouring to hear that most of the Kindred in his city thought it a weak move to attempt to make her look stronger than she really was. There were already rumours that other Kindred were closing in on the Prince to reclaim the title for themselves. The real problem would be Lauri Henson as long as he was not deterred, but Matthew was almost confident that if Adelaide was safe and secure with him, then Lauri would practically agree to anything as he pulled on her arm impatiently. 

“I was enjoying the scenery,” she sulked, reluctantly turning to face him. 

“It will be there for many years to come,” he calmly replied, grasping at her wrist to keep her from slipping away. “We have a meeting to attend.”

The pout was missed on purpose by Matthew as he lead her away from the photogenic scenery, and into the dark back alleys of the capital. It was old news that the Smyth princess was engaged to the Prince of Budapest, and it was the first time she was allowed outside of his mansion grounds. Adelaide was taking the duty of a caged bird well it seemed. Her dance lessons were under an experienced Kindred, though the only comment that had been made by the Princess was that Izolda was better. She had yet to be allowed to audition for any of the ballets in Budapest as all of her requests were to be put through Matthew while the Venture pushed a door open into the Hungarian State Opera House. It was a beautifully polished set, as two individuals waited inside patiently for them. Matthew had refused to tell Adelaide what was in the bag, as he produced her auditioning kit. 

“The young woman will show you to the changing room. They have been most compliant with my demands to allowing you to merely audition,” he smiled, shattering the whole picture that had been built up in the woman’s mind while she was led away by the stagehand. 

To watch her dance was like to watching poetry in motion as the three in the audience could make nothing of her performance but sheer perfection. There was nothing to be done better. Every movement was precise, every footstep was perfect. It was impossible to miss what lengths Prince George had gone to in order to preserve his daughter. 

“Prince Matthew,” the director was new to the city, but he was old school in manners. “I would be delighted to offer Lady Smyth the prima donna spot.”

“I’m sensing hesitation,” the Prince coldly smiled. 

“I fear that if she does not attend the rehearsals, then it will be obvious that she has not practised with the chorus and our leads,” he finally released as Adelaide appeared back in her street clothing again. “I know your stipulations stated that rehearsals would be kept to a minimum, but I fear it would affect the performance in such a grand building if the female lead was to not practice with them.”

“That is a ridiculous stipulation to add,” Adelaide scoffed, startling both males. “A dancer knows what the rehearsals mean, and to add such a demand to your increasing list is unfit for me.” 

“I do not have enough Primogens to guard you at all of the rehearsals,” Matthew began patiently. 

“Then hire someone specifically for the post,” the fire in the petite woman was addictive as it brought forth passionate nights between the sheets to the front of both male’s minds. It ignited both of them into a new height of pleasure before they could capture themselves and their imaginations. 

“Until then you are not to attend rehearsals without myself or a Primogen present,” the Prince was negotiating with his future wife rather than the director, which made for an interesting sight for the spare male. He was clearly not the one who required persuading. 

“Providing you do not delay things on purpose I will comply, if I even suspect otherwise then I will just bring myself to rehearsals until you fulfil your part,” Adelaide’s words were final, a sharp look in her eyes as the paperwork was passed over for signatures.


	17. Chapter 17

Word had reached Moscow without much of a fanfare. Adelaide was performing in Budapest, the prima dancer in some contemporary works that had managed to agree stage time with the owner of the theatre. It was agony as they were all waiting for the photos, Lauri was constantly refreshing his phone in an attempt to get some update on the woman. 

A lonely figure in the shot. 

She was well fed, her posture was perfect, but her eyes screamed of her true feelings. She was missing something as she struck each move. It was still a calculated effort to understand what was going to occur, but the ballet was always going to be heavily protected the second that anything went public. She was never without a guard, regular faces were always noted with her from the Tremere who went on the hunt. He hadn’t been able to get inside yet, the praise for the security features of the Budapest prince irritated the Toreador beyond all known hells, but it was something more for his Prince to react to them for his information.

Getting to Budapest wasn’t an issue. Getting in without being noticed was another matter entirely as Rebekah was sat at her desk, her feet propped up as she was apparently doing nothing but play with a pack of cards. Her gaze was spaced over, and it was likely that even her own beheading would not disturb her. Lauri had refused to leave her house since Adelaide had been kidnapped, the Primogens would always report to her, and he had to know what she was doing. 

“The wedding hasn’t been set yet,” Izolda had become a regular feature since the princess’ disappearance. “But that will change. Money will rush everything through, and they will have an army of ghouls ready at their command to ensure that nothing stops their demands.” 

“Always the same with those kinds,” Rebekah spoke, her gaze lifting from the floor to face the tutor. “We are on the back foot and looking to react rather than command the stage.”

“Well, we should change that,” Lauri softly smirked. “I’m certain that no director would deny a chance at a repeat performance of Coppelia to line their pockets and the likes.”

“What director would be insane enough to invite you?” The Prince of Moscow was panicking, jumping her desk as though she could stop the obsession of a Toreador. 

“One desperate enough to make their name,” he replied as though discussing the obvious.


	18. Chapter 18

A handwritten envelope was addressed to Adelaide as she returned back to Matthew’s home after the performance. She had felt better responses, but to dance alone was better than not to dance at all. Her intended was absent as usual, and she was used to being left alone with ghouls as her protection. Apparently, they shared a bed, but she never felt his presence as the ghostly touches of Lauri brought about a craving that she had been desperate for since leaving Moscow. She trailed a finger over her lip, before scolding herself for allowing such an indulgence in a fantasy. Her father and brothers were heavily overbearing, and Matthew was just as bad. She couldn’t leave the house without his permission or knowledge, and tomorrow was the grand finale. 

_An open invitation to the Princess of Budapest._

_I am a relatively unknown director, but I have devotedly followed your career. Your passion in performance is unsurpassable, and there will never be a more exceptional dancer to exist._

_I have a ballet written for you. And only you could fulfil the prima female dance role. No one else would do this justice, and I could not bear to see anyone else even audition for an attempt._

_I appreciate that your intended would list numerous impositions and restrictions on any contract, but I would be willing to fulfil anything for your guaranteed position in my work. Please find the script enclosed, and I will await your reply with devotion._

_Signed, an admirer._

The script was brimming with passion, and it practically stank of her perfume. Every moment was designed for her to be brought to the foreground and shown in perfection as the director saw her. 

It was a surprise that the door would open, and Matthew would be home for once. 

“What’s that?” He was collected as always. 

“An invitation for my next work, the director is willing to do anything for me to play the lead,” she softly stated, extending the letter to him in a sign of obedience and an attempt to get him to allow her the graces of signing the contract. 

“How many rehearsals would you be required to attend?” Matthew asked, already handing back the invite and reaching for the script. 

“I’m sure we could inquire regarding that type of information should we send a reply asking for him to attend here for a discussion,” the Prince of Budapest was studying the woman’s face with an intense need, before possessively kissing her on the mouth. A show of dominance to assert himself as in control. 

“Fine, but he will be adhering to everything I wish,” the Prince conceded, his eyes flicking up to allow Adelaide to write a response.


	19. Chapter 19

The director was hiding something, but the passion and devotion to Adelaide’s performance wasn’t a fake. Matthew tilted his head as the rest of the theatre had already been confirmed as empty before they even entered the building. But there was something bothering the Prince as though he could sense someone else watching from the shadows. The whole thing had screamed to be a setup, but there was no evidence to stop Adelaide from performing yet. 

It would have been easy to just shut her down, and lock her up. But then he would have the constant drain of a fight on his hands to stop her from simply facing the dawn, by allowing her the freedom of performing, he was saving himself a constant threat of his fiancée ending her life before any marriage could be cemented. It was a political move entirely, her father and brothers were looking to establish an empire spanning most of Europe. They had the coverage for Western Europe, but Adelaide was nothing suitable for any kind of ruling, but her hand in marriage would give her family the ‘right’ to claim Budapest and the likes as their territory. It was something akin to the monarchs of Europe, that was the impression that Matthew had gleaned from Prince George anyway. He had delusions of turning himself into a King, but Matthew was keen to not make an enemy of the man. He had the resources to wipe out most Kindred should the thought arise. It was a dark and desperate side that had been shielded from Adelaide, she knew nothing of what her father was truly capable of, and that was always the agreement. If she gained any hint of knowledge, then Matthew would find himself staked out in the sun. 

To watch her perform was entrancing. She was a perfect example of why anyone should be embraced and kept, she was simply a treasure to watch. The role had indeed been written for her as she auditioned out with the director, but there was always the key part of the male lead. 

“Who have you cast?” Matthew was used to using intimidation for information, but to deprive a Toreador of their passion was akin to making them face the dawn at times. This director had a keen need to make performances for others, as Adelaide was cooling down. 

“Lauri Henson.”

The room was frozen in time, and the director was facing the Prince was a set line of determination. There was going to be no changing of roles or minds. 

“This whole thing is a trap. Adelaide won’t be performing,” Matthew was swift in his decision, storming over and grabbing the woman by the forearm before pulling her out of the building.


End file.
